In my visits late last week, I did speak with a worker for the Silva campaign. The issues that he was speaking about as being really important to Davenport were the obvious ones that always come up – immigration, employment and the like. He suggested that others are becoming important in face to face meetings with the candidate.

Some parts of the riding have residents who are aging. They have lived here for decades, but have recently retired and count on CPP and GIS to pay their bills. With changes to the property tax system in Ontario, the increased “value” of their homes (purchased decades ago) makes it very difficult to stay in the riding. They want to stay, but with the decrease in income and the increase in property taxes, it is very difficult to do so.

The Liberal campaign spoke of initiatives the Liberal party was planning  to assist low-income pensioners – an increase in the GIS.

The other big issue coming up has been with the Conservative approach to childcare. Their plan has not created new childcare spaces, and affordable childcare is inaccessible to many workers in the riding. They are promising a national program that will actually address this.

The gentleman in the campaign office was most accessible (and probably would make a good New Democrat, truth be known).

I am looking forward to seeing an All Candidates meeting to get a real feel for how his candidate presents himself.

Just out in time for this election and available FREE online, The Harper Record, edited by my trusted friend Teresa Healy.

Here’s the summary from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives:

This book is one in a series of CCPA publications that have examined the records of Canadian federal governments during the duration of their tenure. As with earlier CCPA reports on the activities of previous governments while in office, this book gives a detailed account of the laws, policies, regulations, and initiatives of the Conservative minority government under Prime Minister Stephen Harper during its 32-month term from January 2006 to September 2008.

The 47 writers, researchers and analysts who have co-written this book probe into every aspect of the Harper minority government’s administration. From the economy to the environment, from social programs to foreign policy, from health care to tax cuts, from the Afghanistan mission to the tar sands, from free trade to deep integration, and to many other areas of this government’s record, the authors have dug out the facts and analyzed them.

The Harper Record was necessarily researched and written long before an election was called, but its publication does coincide with an election campaign and thus may help citizens to make informed choices about the future of their country. Regardless of the election outcome, its contents will continue to be relevant between elections. In detailing what a minority Conservative government really did, or failed to do, it may serve as a guide and model for future elections.

Did you know there are people that believe that the pill (and other hormonal contraceptives) causes abortions?

I assume you all know that hormonal contraceptives stop an egg from being released from the ovaries, preventing fertilization.

What these people are saying is that it prevents the fertilized egg from attaching to the wall of the uterus, therefor aborting a pregnancy. Now if that were the case, I would agree that it was abortion. However it’s not the case. I can see where they’re coming from but they’re lying to people to make their point and that is reprehensible. It prevents pregnancy, but in my opinion it’s not an abortive measure.

On the flipside, there are upsides to contraceptives. Less teen pregnancies for one, and some women take the Pill as a life saving drug to help prevent ovarian and other uteral cancers. Other women have health risks associated with pregnancies. For instance, some kidney issues can result in death if she becomes pregnant. So lack of the Pill would kill women.

Now, the thing is that they’re lobbying in the US to criminalize contraceptives. They’re focusing on hormonal methods, for the moment. I wasn’t able to find anything Canadian related.

I do think it’s something we’re going to need to keep an eye on.  Ask the candidates in your riding what their position is on this if you feel this something that needs to be brought up.

A link for you.
This is an anti-contraception movement website.
http://www.thepillkills.com/index.html

 *Now before you start commenting on the “rightness” or “wrongness” of abortion, please let me make something clear: I believe that abortion should be looked at on a case by case basis. As I said, there are health reasons why women should have the right to abortions. It depends on the situation, and we cannot possibly know every situation that can or will arise.

I find the Federal Conservative commercial saying Stéphane Dion is going to take away the the oh so generous 1200 dollars a year child care benefit for children misleading and offensive.

What Harper does not say in his attack adds:

1. The child care benefit is only good if you have children under six years old.

2. It only equals 100 a month which really doesn’t amount to much and that’s if you have a child under six.

3. Harper canceled 125,000 child care spaces and broke promises for creating 25,000 new spaces.

4. The Harper attack adds are misinformation because the Liberals are keeping the cheques. Stéphane Dion has repeatedly said that he will not eliminate the $1,200 child care benefit.

My younger sister is a single mom who has to support herself and three small children who are ages seven to ten. Harper’s child care benefit is absolutely no good to her and offers no relief to her and her children.

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